HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
Things you can do to help lower yours
What is high blood pressure?
Imagine that your arteries are pipes that carry blood from your heart to the rest of your body. High blood pressure (also
called hypertension) occurs when your blood moves through your arteries at a higher pressure than normal.
What do the numbers mean?
Blood pressure is really two measurements, separated by a slash when written down, such as 120/80. You may also hear
someone say a blood pressure is “120 over 80.”
The first number is the systolic blood pressure. This is the peak blood pressure when your heart is squeezing blood out.
The second number is the diastolic blood pressure. It’s the pressure when your heart is filling with blood – relaxing
between beats.
A normal blood pressure is less than 130/85. High blood pressure is when your blood pressure is 140/90 or higher.
How is high blood pressure diagnosed?
Blood pressure is measured by putting a blood pressure cuff around your arm, inflating the cuff and listening for the flow
of blood.
Your doctor will measure your blood pressure at more than one visit to see if you have high blood pressure. If your blood
pressure is high on several occasions, you probably have high blood pressure.
How often should I have my blood pressure checked?
Even in children, blood pressure should be checked occasionally, beginning at about
age 2. After age 21, have your blood pressure checked at least once every 2 years. Do it more often if you have had high
blood pressure in the past.
What problems does high blood pressure cause?
High blood pressure damages your blood vessels. This in turn raises your risk of stroke, kidney failure, heart disease and
heart attack.
Does it have any symptoms?
Not usually. This is why it is so important to have your blood pressure checked regularly.
How is it treated?
Treatment begins with changes you can make in your lifestyle to help lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk of
heart disease (see below).
These things alone may work. If these changes don’t work, you may also need to take medicine.
Even if you must take medicine, making some changes in your lifestyle can help lower how much medicine you must take.
Lifestyle Changes:
 Don’t smoke cigarettes or use any tobacco product.
 Lose weight if you are overweight.
 Exercise regularly.
 Limit how much sodium you eat.
 Limit how much alcohol you drink.
 Try relaxation techniques or biofeedback.
How do tobacco products affect blood pressure?
The Nicotine in cigarettes and other tobacco products causes your blood vessels to constrict and your heart to beat faster,
which temporarily raises your blood pressure. If you quit smoking or using other tobacco products, you can significantly
lower your risk of heart disease and heart attack, as well as help lower your blood pressure.
What about losing weight and exercising?
Losing weight if you are overweight helps lower blood pressure in most people. Regular exercise is a good way to lose
weight. It also seems to lower high blood pressure by itself.
Is sodium really off limits?
Not everyone is affected by sodium, but sodium can increase blood pressure in some people.
Most people who have high blood pressure should limit the sodium they eat each day to less than 2,300 mg.
Don’t add salt to your food. Check food labels for sodium. While some foods obviously have a lot of sodium, such as
potato chips, you may not realize how much sodium is in things like bread and cheese.
Do I need to quit drinking alcohol altogether?
In some people, alcohol causes the blood pressure to rise quite a lot. In other people, it doesn’t. If you drink alcohol, limit it
to no more than 2 drinks per day. One drink is a can of beer, a glass of wine or 1 jigger of liquor. If your blood pressure
increases with alcohol, it is best not to drink any alcohol.
Does stress affect my blood pressure?
Stress may affect blood pressure. To help combat the effects of stress, try relaxation techniques or biofeedback. These
things work best when used at least once a day.
What about medicine?
Many different types of medicines can be used to treat high blood pressure. These are called antihypertensive medicines.
The goal of treatment is to reduce your blood pressure to normal levels with medicine that is easy to take and has few, if
any, side effects. This goal can almost always be met.
If your blood pressure can only be controlled with medicine, you will need to take the medicine for the rest of your life.
Don’t stop taking the medicine without talking with your family doctor. If you do, you raise your risk of having a stroke or
heart attack.
Types of antihypertensive drugs:
 Diuretics – These drugs help your body get rid of extra sodium and fluid so that your blood vessels
don’t have to hold so much fluid.
(Examples of these are: Hydrochlorothiazide and Furosemide)
 Beta blockers – These drugs block the effects of adrenaline.
(Examples of these are: Propranolol, Nadolol, Metoprolol and Atenolol.)
 Alpha blockers – These drugs help your blood vessels stay open.
(Examples of these are: Cardura and Hytrin)
 ACE inhibitors – These drugs prevent your blood vessels from constricting by blocking your body
from making Angiotensin II. Angiotensin II is a chemical that constricts blood vessels.
(Examples of these are: Enalapril, Lisinopril, Accupril, Monopril and Ramipril.)
 Calcium channel blockers – These drugs help prevent your blood vessels from constricting by
blocking calcium from entering your cells.
(Examples of these are: Nifedipine, Amlodipine, Felodipine, Diltiazem and Verapamil)
 Combinations – These drugs include more than one type of Blood Pressure agent.
(Examples of these are: Lotrel, Dyazide, Avalide, Benicar/HCT, Micardis/HCT, Hyzaar and
Tenoretic.)
What are the possible side effects of medicine?
Different drugs have different side effects for different people. Side effects of antihypertensive drugs can include feeling
dizzy when you stand up after lying down or sitting, lowered levels of potassium in your blood, problems sleeping,
drowsiness, dry mouth, headaches, bloating, constipation and depression. In men, some antihypertensive drugs can
cause problems with having an erection.
Talk to your family doctor about any changes you notice. If one medicine does not work for you or causes side effects,
you have other options. Let your doctor help you find the right medicine for you.